# Is "A Life in the Theatre" by David Mamet a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Life in the Theatre by David Mamet (Grove Press, 1977) is identified by: Grove Press, New York, 1977, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in wrappers. The US Grove Press 1977 edition is the first edition, in a simultaneous cloth and wrappers issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Grove Press, New York, 1977, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in wrappers
- First printing so stated on the copyright page
- Jacket and cover design by Milton Glaser
- Publisher imprint reads Grove Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | David Mamet |
| Publisher | Grove Press |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Grove Press, New York, 1977, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Grove Press, New York, 1977, issued simultaneously in cloth with dust jacket and in wrappers. First printing so stated on the copyright page. Jacket and cover design by Milton Glaser.

## Is this the true first?
The US Grove Press 1977 edition is the first edition, in a simultaneous cloth and wrappers issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A hardcover book club edition also exists and should not be mistaken for the Grove Press first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Life in the Theatre* by David Mamet a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-life-in-the-theatre
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.